WTAMU to Present House & Garden on Two Stages, One Cast

CANYON, Texas—It won’t be your typical theatre experience when West Texas A&M University presents its production of House & Garden this month in the Sybil B. Harrington Fine Arts Complex on campus.

The comedy, written by Alan Ayckbourn, is set for 7:30 p.m. Feb. 9-11 and Feb. 16-18. A 2:30 p.m. matinee will close out the production’s run on Feb. 19. House & Garden is not recommended for children.

The production, directed by Royal Brantley, Regents Professor of Theatre, is actually two plays, performed on two stages with the same cast. The only constant in the production is the audience—those in the Happy State Bank Studio Theatre will see the House portion of the play, and the audience in the Branding Iron Theatre will see the Garden part of the play.

“This is an unprecedented theatre event for WT,” Brantley said. “The two plays take place simultaneously in our adjoining theatres with our characters walking off one set and onto the other throughout the production. Each play is a separate and complete theatre experience.”

House & Garden is set in an English country home, where the characters are busy preparing for an annual fete. It’s soon obvious that their efforts are for naught as marriages are in hilarious upheaval, young love abounds with awkward confusion, the domestic staff is in romantic chaos and a mysterious and devious politician arrives with unknown motives. Plus, the weather isn’t cooperating. Whether it’s in the studio theatre or the BIT, audience members will experience a comedy that explores everything from marriage and communication to politics and society.

Tickets for the production are priced at $12 for adults, $8 for senior citizens and $6 for the second play (proof of purchase required, Box Office only). Tickets can be purchased by calling the WTAMU Box Office at 806-651-2804 from 2:30-5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday or online at wtamu.edu/bitboxoffice.